Physical exerciser or athletic vehicle.



I. Q. SLYE. 1 PHYSICAL EXERCISER 0R ATHLETIC VEHICLE. APPLICATION FQILEDMAY 29.1mm,

1,287,484. Patented DEG-10,1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

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J. Q. SLYE PHYSICAL EXERCISER 0R ATHLETIC VEHICLE.v

APPLICATION FILED MAY 29. 1913.

i,28?,%%%u Patented 3960.10, 1915.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

m 2. ejmuemvo's UNITED lsra'rns Parent onnrcn.

PHYSICAL EXERCISER OR ATHLETIC VEHICLE.

Application filed May 29. 1918.

Be it known that I, Jens- Qcm-zs SLYE, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at \Vashington, District of Columbia, have invented anew and useful Physical Exerciser or Athletic Vehicle, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved toy physical exerciser or athleticvehicle, particularly adapted for children preferably boys.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a device of this kind,whereby all parts of the body may be brought into action, so that themuscles thereof may be developed.

A further object of the invention is to provide a physical exerciserhaving a longitudina'lly movable seat in gear connections with the reardrive axle of the device, whereby motion may be imparted thereto.

A further object of the invention ,is to provide means to be actuated bythe arms of the operator, so that in conjunction with the movable seat,the apparatus may be propelled at a high rate of speed.

A further object of the invention is to provide a physical exerciser,the propelling mechanism of which is actuated in a manner greatlyresembling the motions of the body of an operator of a racing canoe,whereby the arms, legs, shoulders and'the muscles thereof and those ofthe body may be developed in a. similar manner as those of an operatorof a racing canoe.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved steeringmechanism for the apparatus, whereby the operator may steerthe same withthe feet.

A further object of the invention is to rovide a physical exerciser ofthis kind having means whereby the forward part of the canoe may begiven a vertical or up and down vibration, resembling that imparted to acanoe body when passing over the waves of the water.

In practical fields the details of construction may necessitatealterations falling within the scope of what is claimed.

Specification of Letters Patent Patented Dec. 10, MP1 8.

Serial No. 237.204.

Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of the steering mechanism to beoperated by the feet of the operator.

Fig. (3 is a sectional view on line (3-H of Fig. 2.

Referring more especially to the drawings, 1 designates the body of thephysical exerciser or athletic vehicle, which may be any conventionalshape,-prcferably of a shape to resemble a canoe or the like. Secured bybolts or the like 2 to the rear under portion of the body is a pair ofbrackets 3, in bearings of which a drive shaft 4: is mounted. This shaftis provided with cranks 5 and (3. Mounted upon the ends of the shaft 41.are supporting wheels 7, which may be of any suitable construction,preferably provided with pneumatic tires 8. If necessary the supportingwheels may be especially constructed for the device, or they may bebought or purchased from stock. T he shaft 4: may be cast from malleableiron and then hardened, or may be machined. For instance the shaft maybe bent, and subsequently machined, and its ends capped for thereception of nuts. The brackets 3 are preferably triangular shaped andhave bearings 9 for the reception of the crank shaft. The brackets aredesigned to be cast preferably, but it is to be understood they may bemachine made if desired. Also secured by belts or the'like 10 to thebottom of the canoe are forward and rear brackets 11 and 12, which aresubstantially identical in shape and construction, and are designededge, and its rear end (which is forked shown at. 19) has a linkconnected thereto. This link is in turn connected to he crank 3 of thedrive axle 01' shaft as snon'n at 2 1. The racks 16 have their teeth ontheir outer The rear ends of the racks 1(3 jerked as shown at 23.between which the These links are in ti connected at to the cranks 5 ofthe d ave axle or shaft 4. Secured to the bottom 3 t the body of thephysical exerciser are hearing brackets '26. which may be of an suitable shape preferably as shown. Mounted in bearings of the brackets 26are vertically disposed shafts 2?. which are also mounted in hearings 28of the inner faces of the sides of the canoe shaped bony of theapparatus. The lower ends of the shafts 27 are provided with segment.gears 29, to me with the teeth of the racks 18. The upper ends of theshafts 27 have secured thereto in any suitable manner as shown at 30operating handles 31. lo be engaged or grasped by the hands; of theopezitor. Oscillating move- ;ment ma be imparted to said handles,whereby the shafts 27 may be rocked, so that motion may be imparted tothe segment gears. It is to be noted that, the segment gears will inturn impart reciprocating movement; to the rack." 16, and owing to theirlink connections with the rear axle or drive shaft. revoluble movement;will be imparted thereto, for driving the supporting Wheels, and hencepropel the physical exerciser. Secured to the inner faces of the sidesof the body of th apparatus. as shown at. are bracket guide rods finoperators seat 53% is provideifl. This seat has a cushion 36 and acushion back 3?. The seat 34; may is so desired consist simply of theplate 3;, the ends of which are provided with depending spaced arms Thisseat may be cast or made up from sheet metal. tween the depending armsare anti-frictional rollers 39, Which are grooved. there preferablybeing eight in all. two in the front. adjacent each side. and tvvo inthe rear adjacent each side, so as to engage above and below the bracketguide rods 53. vvhereby the seatvv will freely move backivardly andforwardly, in fact will be allowed to reciprocate. The plate 23 has 3,.depending arm 40 inits renten and connected to the lower extremity ofthis arm Journaled be mam see is a link ll." Pivot-ally mounted upon ashaft pin d2 carried in bearings depending from the bottom of theapparatus is a segment gear 43, the teeth 44: of which are designed tomesh with the teeth 18 of the central or intermediate rack. This segmentgear .43 has a radiating arm 45 extending through an opening 46 in thebottom of the body of the apparatus, and to the extremity of which thelink all is connected. It is to be observed that as the operator isimparting movement to the shafts 27, a reciprocating movement will alsobejinlparted to the seat, the action of WlllCl' Will transmit, movementto the segment gear l3, which in turn will operate the central orintermediate rack 17 a ternately with the racks 16, thereby assistingmaterially in rotating the shaft, or axle and propelling he physicalexerciser. An operator being sub ected to these movements of the bodyand the arms at regular inter- YalS, V lll materially develop thebodyand the arms and he muscles thereof.

Side frame bars 47 for the physical exerciser are provided. The forwardends of these frame bars tarminate in transverse tubular bearings $8,for the reception of the forsvardaxle .9. The rear ends of the fran' ebars have bearings 50, in which the rear drive axle or shaft is mounted.The frame bars 4:? have bearii'igs 51 for the shaft 52, which isdesigned to rotate, as will be here inafter at forth. A disk is mountedupon and rotatable with the shaft 52. The disk eecentrically mounted onthe shaft. which is also provided with a gear 54-. The disk disposedwith relation to the body of the apparatus. so that its peripheral edgeWill engage the body. The bottom of the body on each side where the diskengages the bottom is provided. with spaced guide flanges so as toprevent excessive lateral play of th body with respect to the disk. Theouter ends of both tubular bearings 48 are provided with forks 56.Thefront supporting Wheels 57, which may be especially made or purchasedfrom stock, are mounted upon and rotatable with the stub axles 58. whichare mounted in bearings 59. The inner ends of these bearings 59 areprovided with forks 60. The forks 56 and. 60 are pivoted togetherrespectively by the bolts (51 and 62 which are axially alined. The innerends of the stub shafts 58 have gears 63, which mesh with the bevelgears 64 loose upon the bolts 61. The gears 64. in turn mesh with thegears 65 on the outer ends of the front, axle or shaft 49. Consequentlyit, will be observed that when the supporting Wheels rotate. motion willbe transmitted to the shaft 49 and hence to the gear 66. The tubularbearings have rearwardlv extending spaced arms 67 carrying a stub shaft68, which is provided with a gear 69. The

gear 66 meshes with 69, which in turn drives the gear 54:, and sincerevoluble movement is imparted to the shaft by this train of gears, theeccentrically mounted disk 53 will impart vertical movement or vibrationto the body of the physical exerciser. This vertical vibration will beslow and gradual so as to-greatly resemble the usual movement. of acanoe body when passing over the waves when the same is paddled.

The uppermost of the forks 60 have tubu lar extensions '70, for thereception of the elongated bolts 62, and for the purpose of steering thefront supporting wheels 57. The upper-ends of the tubular extensionshave inwardly extending arms 71, to which the link rods 72 are connectedas at 73.

o Fixed transversely of the canoe body of the apparatus and in the sidesof the body is a shaft 14, on which the steering members i 75 arepivotally suspended, the spaced colof the steering members terminate infeet engaging shoes 78, to be engaged by the feet of the operator. Thetubular extensions 70 have rearwardly extending arms 79, between which alink bar 80 is connected. The operator of the apparatus by placing hisfeet in the shoes 78, and oscillating them backward and forward, one inone direction and the other in the opposite direction, or keeping thesteering members steady, the front supporting wheels 57 may be steeredin any direction desired. The tubular extensions 70 pass through theopenings 81 of the forward part of the sides of the body of theapparatus. A front. seat 82 is fixed between the sides of the body 1 ofthe apparatus. It is to be noted hat the forward part of the body is notfixedly connectedto any of the operating mechanism, thus it will beobserved that the body will vertically vibrate. The body may beconstructed of any suitable material, wood or the like. in factpreferably constructed of any suitable sheet metal, for instance heavysheet tin or comparatively thin galvanized sheet iron, and may bepainted or otherwise decorated.

The invention having been set forth what is claimed as new and usefulis 1. The combination with a rear drive axle having supporting wheels,of a body pivotally mounted on said axle, a forward nondriving axlehaving wheels, and means geared to the forward non-drive axle forinrparting slow gradual vertical vibrations to the body.

2. The combination with a rear drive axle otally mounted on said axle, aforward nondrive axle having supporting wheels, and a rotating membergeared to the forward axle 0:i imparting vertical vibrations to the Thecombination with forward and rear drive axles having supporting wheelsthereon, of a body pivotally mounted upon the rear drive axle, a framefor said axles, a shaft mounted in bearings of said frame, gearconnections between said shaft and the forward axle, and an eccentric onsaid shaft,

whereby a vertical vibration may be imparted to the body.

' 4. The combination with forward and rear drive axles having supportingwheels thereon, of a body pivotally mounted upon the rear drive axle, aframe for said axles, a shaft mounted in bearings of said frame, gearconnections between said shaft and the forward axle, and an eccentric onsaid shaft, whereby a vertical vibration may be imparted to the body,and means on the bottom of the body engaging on each side of theeccentric to prevent excessive lateral movement of the body.

5. The combination with forward and rear drive axles and supportingwheels therefor, of a body pivotally mounted upon the rear axle, andmeans actuated by the forward axle to impart vertical vibrations to thebody, and means actuated by the body and arms of the operator and gearedto the rear axle for driving the same.

I 6. The combination with forward and rear supporting wheels, of a crankshaft for the rear wheels of a body pivotally mounted upon said crankshaft, the under part of the body having guide bearings, alternatelyreciprocating, racks mounted in the guide bearings and having linkconnections with the cranksof the crank shaft. :1 reciprocatingoperators seat mounted in the body, a segment gear linked to the seat.and in gear with one of the racks, and rocking shafts 4 geared to theother racks and having rowing handles, whereby reciprocating movementmay be imparted to the other racks.

7. The combination with a body, of rear supporting wheels therefor. aforward axle provided with stub shafts, hearings for the stub shaftshaving tubular vertical extensiohs, a link connection between said extensions, the upper ends of said extensions having inwardly extending arms,rods connected to said arms, a transverse fixed shaft on the body,steering members pivotally suspended on said shaft to be engaged by thefeet of the operator and being connected to said rods.

8. In a toy canoe physical exerciser, the cbmbination with a frame, offorward and rear drive axles, a body pivotally mounted on the rear driveaxle, a train of gears mounted in said frame and operated by the forwardaxle, 1118:1115 operated by the train vi gears ('0 ini'pzufr, verticalvibrations to the body, and ihmgea carried by the body engag; in on midisidu of said means 1-1 prevent 1-:'- vvssinifli'kiili mn'vumvnt' oi H1Obody.

1' Tim )llibiliiiififfli with a rear (ii'iw axle having supportingWiievis, 01 21!! operating mechanism for driving the 11x10 :1 body pi:-(mil;- mountcii on said axle, 21 fomvzu'd new Grim ilXii halving pivotalsupporting whack, a rotating member geared to the fOlWlMi 110113}. inthe U. a machine.

In Wit WiillOSs s mess whei'cof, the UH'QIIEOIH signature 1s here- 1mmmixed.

for izizpzu'ting vertical vibrations to the and. manual operated meansconnected pimtwi' supporting WhBQIS for steering in the presence of twoJOHN QUEEN SLYE.

